Building block with insulating core

ABSTRACT

An insulated core for a building block for a building wall, the block has spaced apart parallel face shells with the insulating core filling the space between the parallel face shells. The insulating core defines spaced apart parallel surfaces for engaging the respective face shells. The insulating core is provided with channels such that when the block forms part of a wall with other blocks, the channels form intersecting uninterrupted passageways for receiving elongated reinforcing members and grout to provide a reinforcing structure to the wall. A method of preparing a structural insulating wall for buildings and an insulating core including a metal connecting bar with lateral wings provided within at least one male interlocking member to provide a thermal break are also disclosed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to building blocks and more particularly, to blocks having integrated insulating material.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

There are various examples of building blocks for construction projects wherein the building block is a composite structure made up of parallel inner and outer concrete face shells spaced apart by an insulating foam core. An example of such a composite building block is shown and described on a website www.isobloc.com. Reference is also made to patents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,585 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,978,581 both to Spakousky.

SUMMARY

A construction in accordance with a particular aspect comprises an insulating core for a block for a building wall, wherein the block has spaced apart parallel face shells. The insulating core defines spaced apart parallel surfaces capable of engaging the respective face shells. The insulating core is provided with channels such that when the block forms part of a wall with other blocks, the channels in the insulating cores form intersecting, uninterrupted passageways capable of receiving elongated reinforcing members and grout to provide a reinforcing structure to the wall.

In a particular aspect, the insulating core is provided with a face shell mechanically engaged on each surface.

In another aspect, there is provided a wall assembled from the building blocks, as well as the method of assembling the wall wherein horizontal channels and intersecting vertical passageways are formed from corresponding channels formed in selected building blocks. The channels provide passageways capable of receiving reinforcing rods, as well as grout, extending horizontally and vertically through a wall made up of the building blocks. Other utilities may be provided in passageways void of reinforcing rods and grout.

In another aspect, there is a block for a building wall, the block having spaced apart parallel face shells and an insulating core filling the space between the parallel face shells. The insulating core defines spaced apart parallel surfaces engaging the respective face shells wherein the insulating core includes male interlocking members while the face shells have complementary female interlocking members and metal connecting bars are provided in the insulating core with lateral wings provided within at least one of the male interlocking member to mechanically secure the face shells to the insulating block and such that a thermal break is provided between the connecting bars and the face shells.

The thermal break in the present description means that a thermal bridge is not formed between the connecting bar, buried in the insulating material, and the face shell.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building block in accordance with a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective, exploded view of the building block shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the building block showing the insulating core;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the detail shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the detailed shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an end elevation thereof;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-section taken along lines A-A of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view, partly transparent, showing a further detail incorporated in the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 a is a fragmentary cross section of the detail in FIG. 8;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view, taken from the top, of a portion of a wall assembled with building blocks in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a partially assembled wall made with the building blocks in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the insulating core in accordance with a second embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the insulating core shown in FIG. 11 but taken from a different angle;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view, taken from the top of a portion of a wall assembled with building blocks, in accordance with the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 11;

FIG. 14 is a perspective end view of the portion of the wall shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a the wall portion shown in FIG. 13, from a different angle;

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the portion of the wall illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 15;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view, taken from the bottom, of a portion of the wall shown in FIG. 13; and

FIG. 18 is a perspective view taken from the top, of the insulating cores, in accordance with the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11, assembled to form a partial wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a building block 10 having a central insulating core 12 and face shells 14 and 16, in accordance with a particular embodiment. The insulating core 12 is preferably made of foam, such as polystyrene or similar insulating material. The insulating core 12 provides thermal insulation as well as soundproofing. The face shells 14 and 16 may typically be aggregate and/or concrete face shells. The face shells 14 and 16 are connected to form the building block 10, by means of the insulating core 12 as will be described later.

A particular embodiment of the insulating core 12 is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 3 to 7. The core 12 includes parallel wall surfaces 18 and 20 each defined by a respective base, as well as top wall surface in plane 22 and bottom wall surface in plane 24. End wall surfaces in planes 23 and 25 are also illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, for instance. The top wall surface 22 is provided with a concave channel 26. The channel 26 is shown as having a semi-cylindrical surface but it may also have other configurations such as with planar surfaces. The channel 26 may also be provided with grooves 34. The end wall surfaces 23 and 25 are also provided with concave channels 30 and 32, respectively. Finally, the bottom wall surface 24 includes a concave channel 28. A vertically extending bore 35 is typically provided centrally of the core 12 with an axis parallel to the axis of channels 30 and 32 in the end wall surfaces 23 and 25. In the embodiment shown, the distances between the axis of each channel 30, 32 and the axis of the bore 35 are equal.

In the embodiment shown, the horizontal channels 26, 28 of adjacent blocks are complementary such that when the blocks 10 are assembled in a wall, as shown in FIG. 9, the cooperating channels 26, 28 provide horizontal, uninterrupted passageways. The vertical channels 30, 32 are also complementary such that when the blocks 10 are assembled, the cooperating channels 30, 32 define a bore.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 through 7, in the embodiment shown, the core 12 is designed to provide overlapping interlocking portions, such as shown in the Isobloc™ website. For instance, elements 23 a protrude beyond elements 23 b of end wall 23 to interlock with recessed portions 25 a and 25 b of the adjacent block.

As shown in FIG. 2, the face shells 14 and 16 are mounted to the wall surfaces 18 and 20 of the core 12, for example by means of male and female interlocking members. In the embodiment shown, male members 36 a, 36 b and 36 c are provided on walls 20 and 18. These members are dovetailed as shown in FIG. 4, and mate with complementary slots 38 a, 38 b and 38 c as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The insulating core 12 may also be provided with drainage channels 40 extending horizontally of the core 12, adjacent the wall surface 20 defining the outer surface of the block 10. These drainage channels 40 may have a slight slope and communicate with vertical drain drainage channels 42 defined in the wall surfaces 18 and 20, for example between the male members 36 a, 36 b and 36 c. The drainage channels 40, 42 may also be used for ventilation, for example to dry the channels.

FIGS. 8-8 a shows the core 12 somewhat transparent in order to illustrate the metal connector bar 44 which may be provided within the foam core 12. As shown on FIG. 8 a, the connector bar 44 is provided with wings 44 a and 44 b at each end and extending at right angles thereto. When assembled with the face shells 14 and 16, the wings 44 a and 44 b at the ends of the connector bar 44 extend within the male members 36 a. The combined length of the wings 44 a and 44 b is greater than the opening of the slots 38 a such that the connector bar is mechanical locked within the dovetail slot 38 a of the face shell 16. In the present embodiment, there is a connector bar 44 corresponding to each opposite set of male members 36 a, 36 b and 36 c. In a particular embodiment, because the connector bar 44 is contained completely within the molded insulating foam core 12, there is no thermal bridge that might conduct heat from one side of the block 10 to the other, such that a thermal break is provided.

A further advantage to the channels 26, 28, 30, and 32 is to facilitate handling of the blocks 10 when they are being assembled. The blocks 10 may come for example in full-size, half-size as well configured to form right and left corner units.

In a particular embodiment, the block 10 measures about 406 mm (16″) in length, based on the face shell 14, 16, while the overall thickness or width of the block 10 is about 305 mm (12″) and the height is about 203 mm (8″). Other dimensions are of course possible.

FIG. 9 illustrates how blocks 10 might be arranged to form a building wall. Typically, the blocks are laid in offset arrangement, such that the passageway formed by cooperating concave channels 30 and 32 of adjacent blocks is aligned with a bore 35 in a subsequent row. The vertical channels 30, 32 and bore 35, as well as the horizontal channels 26, 28, respectively define intersecting and uninterrupted vertical and horizontal passageways.

A partially assembled wall is also shown in FIG. 10. As can be seen in the present embodiment, the concave channels 30, 32 formed in each block 10, when placed end to end, form vertical passageways in the wall with the bores 35. Thus each passageway 30, 32 alternates with bores 35 at alternating rows. Likewise the concave channels 26 and 18 at the bottom and top of each block form horizontal passageways. Selected vertical passageways, so formed, may include vertical reinforcing rods 50. Horizontal reinforcing rods 48 may be provided in selected horizontal passageways, and may be attached to the vertical rods 50. The grooves 34 in channel 26 may provide seats for such reinforcing rods when laid horizontally. Once the wall is assembled, grout is injected into the passageways 30, 32, 35 as well as in the horizontal passageways 26, 28; that is, those passageways in which reinforcing rods have been placed. The other passageways 30, 32 and 35, and 26, 28, void of reinforcing rods, may also serve as passageways for plumbing, electrical wiring and communication conduits. The passageways that are void of reinforcing rods are provided with caps 46 to prevent grout from pouring into such voids. This method of assembly provides a horizontal and a vertical reinforcement to the structure. The number of passageways being used to allow reinforcing rods and grout, in any given construction, will be determined by the calculations made by structural engineers.

FIGS. 11 to 18 illustrate another embodiment of an insulating core 112. All of the numerals corresponding to similar components in the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 to 10 have been raised by 100.

Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 12, the insulating core 112 is shown having a front or outside wall defining the surface 120 while a plane 122 delimits the top wall surface. The front wall is identical to the wall defining the wall surface 20 of the insulating core 12 shown in FIGS. 3 to 7. A pair of projections 160 and 162 extends at right angles to the rear of the wall. The projections 160 and 162 are identical and each defines a male member 136 a and 136 c, with portions of the inside wall in plane 118 being defined by the ends of the projections 160 and 162. The face shells 114 and 116 are the same as the face shells 14 and 16 shown FIG. 2.

FIGS. 13 to 17 show a partially assembled wall made up of blocks 110. As shown in FIG. 13, outside cladding made up of individual face shells 114 are engaged on the male members 136 a, 136 b and 136 c of outside wall surface 120 defined by the base. Likewise, face shells 116 engage male members 136 a and 136 c of the inside wall 118 defined by projections 160 and 162 extending from the base. Overlapping stepped portions 119 and 121 allow the blocks to be interlocked as the wall is being assembled.

Each block 110 includes concave channels 130, 132 (see FIG. 13) defined outwardly of the projections 160 and 162 and a concave channel 135 (see FIG. 16) defined between the projections 160 and 162. As shown in FIGS. 13-17, once the blocks 110 have been assembled, the channels 130, 132, 135 of adjacent blocks 110 cooperate to provide continuous vertical passageways. Similarly, concave channels 126 and 128 formed by the top and bottom surfaces of the projections 160 and 162, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, and cooperate once the blocks 110 have been assembled to define horizontal passageways. In a particular embodiment, alternate vertical passageways are provided with reinforcing rods and grout. Selected horizontal passageways are also provided with reinforcing rods and grout. The horizontal reinforcing rods may be attached to the vertical rods at intersecting passageways. The passageways that are void may contain other components to be inserted in the wall being constructed.

Drainage channels 140 may be provided in the upper surface of the base or front wall 120 in order to allow water to drain therefrom. The drainage channels 140 may also be used for ventilation, for example to dry the channels.

Grout may also enter the open slots 138 b formed in the face shells 116 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 17, further anchoring the face shell 116 to the insulating cores 112.

The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed. Modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims. 

1. In a block for a building wall and having spaced apart parallel face shells, an insulating core defining two spaced apart parallel surfaces each capable of engaging a respective one of the face shells, the insulating core having channels defined therein such that when the block forms part of a wall with other blocks, the channels cooperate with corresponding channels of the other blocks to form intersecting, uninterrupted passageways configured to receive elongated reinforcing members and grout to provide a reinforcing structure to the wall.
 2. The insulating core as defined in claim 1, wherein the channels include at least one first channel having an axis parallel to the surfaces and at least one second channel having an axis parallel to the surfaces and normal to the first channel axis.
 3. The insulating core as defined in claim 2, wherein the insulating core includes at least a base forming a wall defining one of the surfaces, from which projections extend normal to the base to the other of the outer surfaces, the projections defining at least the first and second channels.
 4. The insulating core as defined in claim 3, wherein the base defines an outer one of the surfaces.
 5. The insulating core as defined in claim 3, wherein the at least one first channel includes a central channel central to the block.
 6. A block having an insulating core as defined in claim 5, the block comprising: a top plane, a bottom plane and a pair of spaced apart end planes normal to the parallel face shells; the at least one first channel includes a respective concave channel extending from each of the end planes in the insulating core; and the at least one second channel includes a respective concave channel portion extending from each of the top and bottom planes in the insulating core.
 7. The block as defined in claim 6, wherein the axes of the first channels are equally spaced apart.
 8. The block as defined in claim 7, wherein the at least one first channels consists in three first channels and the at least one second channels consists in two second channels.
 9. A block having an insulating core as defined in claim 2, the block comprising: a top plane, a bottom plane and a pair of spaced apart end planes normal to the parallel face shells; the insulating core including a solid core with a respective base defining each of the surfaces engaging the face shells; the at least one first channel includes a central cylindrical bore defined through the core and a respective first concave semi-cylindrical depression formed from each end plane, with the axes of the bore and of each first depression being parallel to one another; and the at least one second channel includes a respective second concave semi-circular depression formed from each of the top and bottom planes, the axes of the second depressions being parallel to one another.
 10. A block having an insulating core as defined in claim 4, wherein one of the face shell is engaged by the base at the outer one of the surfaces and another one of the face shells is engaged by free ends of the projections defining an inner one of the surfaces, the projections including two identical projections with multi-faceted surfaces defining the at least one first channel including a central first channel between the two projections and defining the at least one second channel intersecting with and normal to the central first channel.
 11. The block as defined in claim 10 wherein the block has a top plane, a bottom plane and a pair of spaced apart end planes normal to the parallel face shells, the at least one first channel including a respective additional first channel formed between each of the projections and an adjacent one of the end planes, the at least one second channels including a respective second channel formed between the projections and each one of the top and bottom planes.
 12. A building wall constructed with blocks each as defined in claim 7, wherein the axes of the first channels of adjacent ones of the blocks are aligned to form vertical passageways and the axes of the second channels of adjacent ones of the blocks are aligned to form horizontal passageways.
 13. The building wall as defined in claim 12, wherein reinforcing rods with grout are provided in at least selected ones of the vertical passageways.
 14. The building wall as defined in claim 13, wherein utility components are provided in at least some of the vertical passageways free of the reinforcing rods and grout.
 15. The building wall as defined in claim 13, wherein reinforcing rods and grout are provided in selected ones of the horizontal passageways and are attached to the reinforcing rods extending in the vertical passageways.
 16. The building wall as defined in claim 15, wherein caps are provided to close the passageways free of the reinforcing rods and grout.
 17. A block for a building wall, the block having spaced apart parallel face shells and an insulating core defining spaced apart parallel outer and inner surfaces each engaging a respective one of the face shells, the insulating core including male interlocking members protruding from the outer and inner surfaces and received in complementary female interlocking members defined in the face shells, the insulating core including a metal connecting bar with lateral wings provided within at least one of the male interlocking members such that a thermal break is provided between the connecting bar and the face shells.
 18. The block as defined in claim 17, wherein the male interlocking members on the insulating core and the complementary female interlocking members on the face shells have a dovetail configuration.
 19. A method of preparing a structural insulating wall for buildings comprising the steps of manufacturing discrete interlocking building blocks each having face shells parallel and spaced apart with an insulating core therebetween, forming first and second intersecting channels within each core; assembling the wall with the discrete blocks while aligning the first channels to form vertical passageways and the second channels to form horizontal passageways in the wall, passing reinforcing rods and pouring grout through selected ones of the passageways while leaving other ones of the passageways void.
 20. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein one or more of electrical wiring, telecommunications conduits and plumbing is provided in the ones of the passageways that are void.
 21. The insulating core as defined in claim 1, wherein the insulating core is made of a foam material having one of male and female interlocking members to connect with complementary members on the face shells.
 22. A block having an insulating core as defined in claim 21, wherein the insulating core includes male interlocking members while the face shells have the complementary female interlocking members and a metal connecting bar is provided in the insulating core with lateral wings provided within at least one of the male interlocking member.
 23. The insulating core as defined in claim 4, wherein the insulating core has a top surface on the base wherein at least one drainage channel is provided in the top surface.
 24. The insulating core as defined in claim 23, wherein an end surface at the base is provided with an additional drainage channel in communication with the at least one drainage channel of the top surface. 